More Builders Offer a 'Home Within a Home'

More Builders Offer a 'Home Within a Home'

As the number of people living in a household expands, builders are responding and tweaking home designs to meet the growing needs of multigenerational households.

In recent years, the number of grown children moving back with their parents and the number of elderly parents moving-in with their adult children is increasing, causing more households to re-evaluate their use of space at home. Analysts say the number of multigenerational households will likely rise even more in the coming years, particularly among ethnic groups like Asians and Hispanics who are more likely to live with extended family.

More builders are debuting floorplans for single-family homes that include “semi-independent suites with separate entries, bathrooms, and kitchenettes,” the Associated Press reports. “Some suites even include their own laundry areas and outdoor patios for additional privacy, though they maintain a connection to the main house through an inside door. “

For example, homebuilder Lennar Corp. has started offering 700-square-foot suites contained in some of its 3,400-square-foot floorplan homes in Las Vegas. Homebuilder Standard Pacific Homes also has rolled out more “casitas,” which are attached to the main house but also offer more independent living.